Brooklyn
BROOKLYN [2015]
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters
Direction by John Crowley & Original Story from ‘Brooklyn’ by Colm Toibin
Language: English
I was originally dragged to see this film as a ten-year old in the cinema with my parents. I did not fully understand the movie at the time, but something definitely resonated with me. Flash forward to years later, where I was mindlessly scrolling through Netflix. I noticed that Brooklyn was on my ‘Recommended’ section, and I am so glad that it was. Having watched the movie years prior, I wasn’t distracted with the storyline, and could instead notice the little bits and details which really propelled the movie to A-tier status. I am a huge fan of period pieces, and I think that it is pretty safe to say that this production absolutely did not let me down.
Immigration to America in the 20th century is something often studied very objectively: we never see the human experience behind the mass migration that occurred. Seeing the experience of having to acclimate to a new place, a place so wildly different to what you’re used to, is a timeless message: the experiences, no matter what the year, are basically the same.
The writing was excellent! I really loved how the main character, Eilish, was written. She was a very nuanced character, torn between the prospect of freedom and opportunity in America, and the obligation of tradition and family in Ireland. This constant struggle between these two very different parts of her life was a core theme throughout the film. Seeing the despair of leaving a life so familiar as well as the elation of finding new love was captivating, and the writing was done so well that I was attached to Eilish and her new life.
However, it was the execution of the script that made me love the movie. I wonder why Saoirse Ronan doesn’t have mainstream fame, and the only logical conclusion I can come to is that people are probably intimidated by her skill. She was so good! The struggle of the immigrant experience was heart-wrenching when she played it. She was a character written with such profound complexity, and she was able to fulfil that role masterfully.
It also helps that the casting was done very well. The chemistry between Emory Cohen and Saoirse Ronan’s characters was very good. It almost makes up for the fact that Cohen sort of underperformed? I don’t know whether he was written to be an awkward character, but if he was, he executed it very well. Julie Walters, albeit having a small role, also performed very well. Even though she wasn’t integral to the story, I really loved her in the movie.
Overall, all smiles here! 8/10
